


you're like oxygen to me

by coldairballoons



Series: Intertwined [3]
Category: Murdoch Mysteries
Genre: (but not really), (mentioned) - Freeform, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Morning After, Multi, No Dialogue, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Polyphobia, Polyamorous relationship, Polyamory, Polyphobia, Religious Guilt, reference to religious trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:01:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28380612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldairballoons/pseuds/coldairballoons
Summary: And he loved them. He really, really did. He loved his wife, his Julia, and he loved his partner, his James. And that was perfect.
Relationships: Julia Ogden/James Pendrick, William Murdoch/James Pendrick, William Murdoch/Julia Ogden, William Murdoch/Julia Ogden/James Pendrick
Series: Intertwined [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2132649
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	you're like oxygen to me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theoorsomething](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoorsomething/gifts), [here_to_vibe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/here_to_vibe/gifts).



> Title based on Fingertips by Savannah!
> 
> Anyways, I wrote this entire thing in an hour at 2am while yearning for my partners and angsting over the lack of polyamorous representation in media, because by God, we need more. Please stan Pendrochgden, I beg of you, it has so much potential, and also I need to write more so the main relationship tag becomes a thing shdjfhsjdfh

Kissing was easy, William Murdoch decided, exhaling shakily as his boyfriend, sweaty, breathing heavily, yet grinning with the swagger of one half his age, flopped beside him on the bed, bringing a hand to cup his jaw and pull him into a kiss. There was something so perfect about James Pendrick’s kisses, how he seemed to follow one after another with a kind of gentle desperation, as though he’d only breathe the same oxygen as Murdoch, never anything else. 

And his kisses  _ were _ like oxygen, if only for a moment’s bliss. Sweeter than any honey the detective had ever tasted, more intoxicating than any wine, and more dizzying than any else. If Julia Ogden’s kisses were like fireworks, like roses, his heart erupting each time, making him present, grounding Murdoch to this existence, James’ kisses were the ones that made him lift off the ground, something tangible disappearing into the atmosphere.

As James pulled away from his lips, smiling dopily, like a schoolboy, Julia leaned over William to pull their boyfriend into a kiss, and internally, Murdoch realized that this was heaven. This was as close to heaven as they would get on Earth, seeing his lovers kiss languidly over him, lazily, soft, tired… happy. 

He was happy. William ran a hand through his own hair, shutting his eyes for a moment. He could feel his partners lay back beside him, two pairs of arms wrapping around him, trying to get as much contact with the both of them as possible, two warm bodies pressed up against his bare sides. A soft kiss pressed to his shoulder,--James, he suspected, based on the slight stubble--one pressed to his neck--Julia, he heard a soft laugh and a quiet, murmured declaration of love in her voice--and smiled, cracking an eye open.

They were beautiful. Murdoch would never get tired of seeing them. Tired, giddy, the air of intimacy filling the room, unspoken words on all of their smiling lips. Tousled hair, light marks on their skin, a lipstick stain against James’ collarbone, followed directly by a soft bite mark. 

Julia, smiling sleepily as she rested her head against Murdoch’s chest, one hand holding onto James’ arm, and James, head tucked against William’s shoulder, breathing softly, an arm wrapped around William’s hip, gently massaging some small bruises, whether from his own hand during their previous endeavors, or from whatever odd job the detective had worked today. His other hand held onto Julia, resting at the small of her back, holding both of his partners with a quiet, possessive comfort.

William tilted his head to kiss Julia’s hair, smelling the shampoo, the sweat, the remnants of James’ cologne that seemed to stick everywhere. He always loved how she smelled, it was a sort of comfort. Even when she was away, he would hold onto a scarf, a coat, a sweater, something, and when the loneliest nights grew to be too much--James, away on business, or Julia, out of town, or when he himself was caught out on an assignment too late to return home--he would hold it, tucking his beside his head, as though he was with his lover.

A soft, open-mouthed kiss was pressed to William’s neck, along with a soft noise of comfort--James, based on the roughness of the lips. There had been so many times where William had over-thought it--after all, a man couldn’t love a woman  _ and _ a man, and fall for the both at the same time. The thought of two men falling for each other was enough to make him recoil, at least, it would have been. 

But James had helped him. James, Julia, his fellow detective, his friends, they knew of his upbringing, and they knew of his own feelings. The repression, the internalization, the constant regret and panic that would come with a change to something so solid in his life. And they were patient, James and Julia especially. They never made him speed up in his coming to grips with his own sexuality and non-monogamy, they never forced him into anything.

And he loved them. He really, really did. He loved his wife, his Julia, and he loved his partner, his James. And that was perfect. 

Moments like this, William knew he would never have dreamed up. The mere idea of being in bed with his two lovers seemed surreal still, and yet, here they were, warm breath against his skin, hair tickling his nose and neck, arms wrapped around him. They were here, they were tangible, and that was perfect.

Of course, he doubted they would be able to be public with it. That was the part of their relationship William had the hardest time coming to grasps with--the idea that anything, any further steps in their relationship, marriage, an upbringing of a child, a household, anything, would never be acknowledged in the eyes of the government. If marriage was between a man and a woman, what of a man, a man, and a woman? 

The mere idea made something ache in William’s chest--he  _ wanted _ marriage, to both of them, he  _ wanted _ to raise a child, to be accepted by their world for love. And if one day, three lovers could hold hands in public together without getting glares from the passersby, or without fear of eviction, violence, anything of the sort… well, it was all he could hope for.

But for now, he stowed the anxieties and worries of society away, if only for a moment, as Julia shifted against him, yawning softly, and James dozed off, his usually tense shoulders starting to relax. William could feel it, he could feel the comfort in their little bubble of life, and while it wasn’t perfect, it was theirs, which was all he could ask for, really. 

Kissing was easy. Kissing his Julia, his James, his lovers, his partners, his sun and moon, it was second nature. And if they were the sun, the moon, William was surely the earth. An anchor, yes, but the one who saw their light, fell in love with it, basked in it and was warmed by it every moment they shared together. 

  
And, as William started to fade off into a blissful rest, he smiled, holding his lovers closer. All that he could do was smile, because if one had everything, what else could they do? William  _ had _ everything, and his everythings were named Julia Ogden and James Pendrick.

**Author's Note:**

> Mmmm... okay hi Car and Theo if you're reading this, yes this is simpy and self-indulgent shut- /t
> 
> Seriously, I have so many feelings about this throuple. They deserve so much, and IT MAKES SENSE, OKAY-
> 
> As always, you can find me on TikTok and Tumblr at @coldairballoons, or on Discord at @coldairballoons#9556. I do take requests, so if you've got any ideas or recommendations, or just want to say hello, pop by!


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